Real quotes · Real wood · Installation included
Compare actual wood shutter proposals with blinds and roller shades sized to the same windows. See what you pay—and what changes the finished room.
For homeowners in Martin County, Port St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach County.
An actual AP Shutters installation. Custom frames and louvered panels complement the room’s trim.
Prepared by Architectural Plantation Shutters · Retail checks September 26–27, 2026 · Historical proposals dated below. Prices and promotions change.
Start with the complete price
Our plantation shutter price includes installation. These two homeowner proposals show why size, louver selection and upgrades matter. Each example is anonymized; the amounts are historical quotes, not a promise that every similar window will cost the same.
34¾″ wide × 48″ high
3½″ basswood louvers · SW Extra White
Single panel · visible split tilt · small L frame
Proposal A · May 28, 2026. No discount or separately charged tax, shipping or installation on this proposal.
55¼″ × 40½″ and 55¼″ × 39¾″
4½″ basswood louvers · SW Extra White
L frames · Clear View hidden tilt
Proposal B · April 1, 2026. Base shutters $1,231.61 + hidden tilt $221.68 − return-customer discount $65.00. Tax and shipping shown as $0.
Dimensions are transcribed from proposal drawings and are used as comparison inputs. Final ordering dimensions and manufacturer deductions must be confirmed for each product and mounting method.
Same 34¾ × 48-inch opening
Compare the product and the installation. Our real wood shutter example is $451.91 installed. The options below use custom sizing, cordless operation and, where specified, fabric cassettes or privacy liners. We selected practical midrange configurations, rather than the cheapest stock-size products.
Installation basis: $300 minimum handyman visit. This is the standard comparison allowance in this guide, counted once per order—not a verified universal rate or a retailer installation quote. Obtain a written local price; DIY and retailer programs can cost less. Retail totals exclude sales tax and extra work. APS pricing includes installation.
Actual APS installation; illustrative of construction, not the quoted window.
Installation included
Historical homeowner quote · May 28, 2026
Basswood louvers, a fitted L frame and a hinged panel. The quoted visible split tilt allows separate upper and lower adjustment.
Only $20.41 above the faux wood blind comparison. That buys a different construction and a direct relationship with the company manufacturing and installing your shutters.
Get your factory-direct quote →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$131.50 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $239.09; with visit: $539.09.
Tilting slats on ladders; lift the blind to uncover the glass.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Bali 2″ Premium Faux Wood · White 5035 · cordless · left wand · 3″ standard valance. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →Faux wood blinds can be a sensible lower-cost choice, especially for DIY or multi-window orders. They have liftable slats rather than hinged shutter panels. Our real wood shutters provide the architectural frame and finish shown above; wood should be protected from repeated moisture.
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$298.55 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $497.59; with visit: $797.59.
Fabric rolls into a cassette. Blackout fabric does not eliminate edge gaps.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. LEVOLOR · Finnley Blackout Whisper LB055000 · PerfectPlacement cordless · medium cassette · Omni bottom rail. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$187.64 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $312.73; with visit: $612.73.
A soft cellular fabric surface; raise it for a clear view.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Bali · Halo Pure White 1321 · light filtering · single cell · cordless · standard shade. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$197.15 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $281.65; with visit: $581.65.
Designed for glare control and daytime views; not a nighttime privacy solution.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Blinds.com Premium · Verona 5% White 0001 · cordless · 3″ semi-open cassette with fabric insert. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$170.53 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $227.37; with visit: $527.37.
Soft fabric folds add texture; the stack covers part of the window when raised.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Blinds.com Classic · Lyon Ivory SW147 · cordless · flat fold · white light-filtering liner. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$288.99 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $525.44; with visit: $825.44.
Woven texture with a privacy liner; a different construction from solid wood shutter louvers.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Bali · Antigua Tiki 25004 · cordless · standard Roman · Snow White light-filtering liner · 6″ self valance. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$163.26 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $296.84; with visit: $596.84.
Alternating sheer and opaque bands change light and privacy.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. SouthSeas · Atwood Snow ATW01 · cordless · white rounded cassette with fabric insert · rounded pull-tab bottom bar. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →Retailer product photo; finish and installation shown may differ.
Product + minimum handyman visit
$436.91 sale product + $300 installation
Product regular: $728.18; with visit: $1028.18.
Button-operated motorized wand; this price is not a smart-home hub or remote-control package.
34¾″ × 48″, inside mount, quantity one. Same LEVOLOR Finnley fabric, cassette and size · motorized wand on right · 24″ wand. Checked September 27, 2026; shipping displayed free; before tax.
View retailer product →
Actual APS installation; room photo is not a priced one-window package.
One-window historical installed example
Keep your view and privacy adjustable with substantial wood louvers. Talk directly with our Palm City team about your frame, finish and installation.
Price my windowsRetail product photos illustrate the product families and may show different colors, sizes or upgrades. Sale and regular prices are displayed together; promotions can end. The motorized and cordless roller examples use the same fabric family. These are configured online estimates, not measured bids.
Home Depot product-family photo; shown finish may differ.
Home Depot: $246.60 sale product + $300 visit
Lowe’s: $231.90 sale product + $300 visit = $531.90.
34¾″ × 48″ · cordless · 2″ wood slats. A liftable blind with a top valance and adjustable slats.
Actual APS installation illustrating our construction.
Installation included
34¾″ × 48″ historical quote.
3½″ louvers, a fitted frame and a hinged panel. Work directly with our manufacturing and installation team.
| 34¾″ × 48″ treatment | Product price checked | Installation | Comparison total |
|---|---|---|---|
| APS basswood plantation shutter | Historical homeowner quote | Included | $451.91 installed |
| Home Depot · LEVOLOR 2″ real wood blind | $246.60 sale / $308.25 regular | $300 minimum handyman visit | $546.60 sale / $608.25 regular |
| Lowe’s · LEVOLOR 2″ real wood blind | $231.90 sale / $289.88 regular | $300 minimum handyman visit | $531.90 sale / $589.88 regular |
With the $300 visit, the sale-price wood blind comparisons are $94.69 higher at Home Depot and $79.99 higher at Lowe’s than our historical installed shutter example.
Checked September 26, 2026. Bright White 120WH056, 2″ real wood slats, inside mount, cordless lift, left wand, standard ladders/headrail and traditional valance. Both displayed 20% off and free delivery; Lowe’s location Stuart / 34990. Retail totals before tax.
| 55¼″ × 40½″ + 55¼″ × 39¾″ | Products / proposal | One visit | Comparison total |
|---|---|---|---|
| APS · two wood shutters with hidden tilt | Includes quoted upgrade and $65 discount | Included | $1,388.30 installed |
| Home Depot · two LEVOLOR wood blinds | $686.10 sale / $857.62 regular | $300 | $986.10 sale / $1,157.62 regular |
| Lowe’s · two LEVOLOR wood blinds | $678.50 sale / $848.12 regular | $300 | $978.50 sale / $1,148.12 regular |
The blind options cost less in this larger two-window example. Labor is counted once for the order, not once per blind. September 26 product checks use the same wood-blind specifications above. Compare your complete project; a single-window result should not be multiplied across a whole house.
Lowe’s eligible blind/shade program advertises $25 per treatment with a $75 minimum, plus a $45 measurement credited toward installation. That program can change the comparison; it is not the $300 independent-handyman route and is not a verified shutter installation price.
Retailer vs. factory direct
For the same 34¾ × 48-inch opening, we configured white LEVOLOR synthetic shutters with 3½″ louvers, an inside L frame, one left-hinged panel and a front tilt bar. Our APS comparison is real basswood with installation included.
| Seller & material | Product price | Installation basis | Comparison total / difference from APS |
|---|---|---|---|
| APS · real basswood | Historical installed quote | Included | $451.91 installed |
| Home Depot · LEVOLOR faux wood shutter | $387.42 | $300 minimum handyman visit | $687.42 · $235.51 more |
| Lowe’s · LEVOLOR Polyresin 3 shutter | $385.07 sale / $427.86 regular | $300 minimum handyman visit | $685.07 sale · $233.16 more $727.86 regular |
Configured September 27, 2026; quantity one, 4-sided frame, no divider rail, free shipping displayed, retail totals before tax. Comparison inputs use a square opening, 3″ depth, no existing trim and a flush/no projecting sill; these fit conditions require measurement. The APS quote includes split tilt, while these retailer configurations have no divider rail. The $300 is our comparison allowance for separately arranged labor, not an installed bid from either store. Lower installation pricing changes the savings.
$387.42 product + $300 minimum handyman visit.
Home Depot product preview. Material is faux wood; preview does not reproduce every configured option.
Installation included in the historical example.
Real installation. Custom wood louvers and a fitted frame, supported by the local team that builds your shutters.
$385.07 sale product + $300 minimum handyman visit. $233.16 above the APS installed example.
Lowe’s product-family photo, not an APS installation. Material is synthetic, not wood. Regular product $427.86; with visit $727.86.
Home Depot’s published guide lists wood shutters starting at $35 per square foot and measures the opening plus the frame or trim. That starting rate is not a completed quote for this window. Confirm material, frame area, installation and options in a written bid.
The Lowe’s shutter product we could configure is Polyresin 3, not real wood. We have not verified a matching Lowe’s real wood installed quote. Those limitations matter: the exact synthetic comparisons above support the stated differences with our labor allowance; they do not establish that every big-box real wood quote costs more.
We manufacture your wood shutters and install them ourselves. Buying directly from APS removes the separate retail reseller from your purchase. We keep manufacturing and installation together and pass the savings of our direct model on to customers through our installed pricing.
With us, you discuss the frame, finish, louvers and fit with the company responsible for the finished result. You get one coordinated path from your window measurements to installation, instead of sourcing a product and arranging a separate handyman.
Home Depot describes local authorized service providers; Lowe’s describes independent installers. Their retail/service model differs from ours. Published prices do not reveal each company’s markup, so the differences above are comparison totals, not measured middleman fees.
Compare a factory-direct installed quoteSee the difference
A roller shade gives the window a clean fabric surface. A wood plantation shutter adds depth, a surrounding frame and adjustable horizontal louvers. This comparison uses the same kitchen setting.
Illustration is not a before-and-after installation claim. Lighting, shade fabric and opacity affect real-world appearance. Gallery photos illustrate our work and are not guaranteed matches to every quoted specification.
Built for your room
Real basswood components, substantial louvers and a custom frame give the window a finished architectural presence. Tilt the louvers for light and privacy; open the hinged panel when the layout allows access to the glass.
We build custom wood shutters in Palm City. Your frame, panel layout, finish and operating details can be discussed with the company making and installing them.
Visit our Palm City workshop story →
Real shop work: shaped frames prepared for custom openings.
Ask for the specification, not just a number
Large openings may need multiple panels, posts or a track system. Inside and outside mounts use different frame arrangements. Existing casing, sill caps, window handles and the available depth affect the finished design.
Compare 3½″ and 4½″ louvers, visible tilt rods, hidden tilt and split operation. Proposal B’s Clear View option added 18% to its base shutter subtotal. That is an example from one quote, not a universal surcharge.
Curved frames, shaped louvers and door-handle cutouts require additional work. A July 2026 proposal itemized two arch tops at $400 each. Request pricing for the complete opening and confirm which sections operate.
Louvered arches · Sunburst fans · French doors · Sliding doors
Custom colors, decorative casing and sill details belong in the written scope. Check removal and disposal, patching and painting, current lead time and warranty terms. Installation is included in our shutter prices; unrelated wall repairs are a separate discussion.
For a single-family home, start with the living room, primary bedroom and street-facing windows, then price the remaining rooms. A room-by-room schedule makes it easier to compare one complete project with a phased purchase. A small-window price multiplied by the number of rooms will miss larger openings, doors and specialty shapes.
Start my window-by-window quoteStraight answers before you buy
Size and specifications determine the price. One May 2026 AP Shutters proposal quoted $451.91 installed for a 34¾ × 48-inch basswood shutter with 3½-inch louvers. A separate April 2026 proposal for two wider windows totaled $1,388.30 installed, including hidden tilt and a $65 return-customer discount. These are actual historical quotes, not a universal price list.
Yes. Our plantation shutter prices include installation. When comparing an online blind or shade, add its installation cost and check shipping, tax, removal and any optional upgrades before comparing totals.
Not always. For our 34¾ × 48-inch example, the APS wood shutter was $451.91 installed. The midrange Bali faux wood blind comparison is $431.50, while the cordless LEVOLOR fabric roller shade comparison is $598.55, each including the guide’s $300 minimum handyman visit. The result changes with promotions, installation pricing and order size. Request complete written quotes for your home.
The single-window example works out to approximately $39.01 per square foot using the quoted 34¾ × 48-inch dimensions. That is a calculation for one quote, not our standard rate. Minimum sizes, frames, shaped tops, hardware and options can make a simple square-foot estimate misleading.
A useful whole-house estimate starts with an opening schedule: width, height, room, shape and door type for every opening. Count windows, not individual shutter panels. Separate standard rectangles from arches, French doors and sliding systems. We can quote the complete home or a phased plan so you can prioritize the rooms you use most.
Both sizes appear in our real basswood proposals. Wider louvers create a different view and proportion, while window depth and clearance affect fit. Compare samples in your room and ask about panel width, tilt position and the view with louvers open. Louver size alone does not determine the total price.
Real wood can suit conditioned Florida interiors, including suitable bathroom locations away from repeated splashing. Wood is not waterproof. Keep it dry and discuss condensation, direct water exposure and ventilation before choosing a material. A shower opening may need a different treatment.
Closed louvers reduce light and provide privacy, but small gaps remain around moving parts and frames. If complete darkness is your priority, discuss a dedicated blackout shade and side-gap control as well. A fabric labeled blackout also needs a suitable installation to limit edge light.
No. Hidden tilt describes how the louvers are linked without a visible center rod. Split tilt lets you adjust upper and lower louver sections separately. Ask for the exact combination and split position you want; they solve different design and privacy needs.
Yes. Send a clear photo of the entire opening, approximate dimensions and your location. Curved frames, handle clearances, tracks and panel arrangements need individual pricing. Installation is included in our shutter price.
Architectural Plantation Shutters builds custom wood shutters in Palm City and serves Martin County, St. Lucie County and northern Palm Beach County. Contact us for your home in Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Port St. Lucie, Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Tequesta or nearby communities. Confirm service for your address when scheduling.
We selected two readable, specific homeowner proposals from our records and checked their drawings, specifications and totals. We did not treat revisions as separate jobs or use wholesale pickup prices as installed homeowner prices. Online comparisons were configured to the listed dimensions; exact fit still requires product-specific measurement.
Retail prices are dated observations, including promotions where shown. The guide uses a $300 minimum handyman visit as its comparison allowance, separate from retailer product prices and installation offers. Our installation-inclusive policy was confirmed by AP Shutters. Customer names, addresses and proposal documents are not published here.
Sources: Product links and exact selected specifications appear beside each comparison above. Lowe’s installation terms · Home Depot LEVOLOR wood blind · Lowe’s LEVOLOR wood blind. Customer-question research included window treatment comparisons and wide-window planning. Forum comments inform questions, not pricing or product performance claims.
Palm City-made wood shutters
Send your window photos, approximate sizes and location. We’ll help you compare the frame, louvers and finish for your rooms—and provide your shutter price with installation included.
Serving Martin County, St. Lucie County and northern Palm Beach County.
